Safe and the like



Feb. 16, 1937. H. OBLAK 2,070,803

' SAFE AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 4, 1935 INVENTOR. mvs OBLQK.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES SAFE AND THE LIKE Hans Oblak, Donawitz Steiermark, Austria Application January 4, 1935, Serial No. 424

1 Claim.

This invention relates to safes and the like and refers more particularly to means operable by an electrical current for locking and unlocking the door of a safe and for protecting said door from burglars and other persons attempting to tamper with the safe.

Another object is the provision of a device for unlocking the door of a safe and the like, which is so concealed that any person not knowing the location thereof will be unable to open the safe.

The above and other objects of the present invention may be realized through the provision of a device for unlocking the door of a safe which is operated by a concealed electrical mo tor.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

20 In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a locking device carried by the door of a safe in side elevation and partly in section.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the looking device and the door of the safe.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the safe.

The safe 5 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing is provided with a door 6 which has no keyhole or any other parts which may indicate the location of the device for looking or unlocking the door.

As shown in Fig. 2, the door 6 comprises two plates 1 and 8separated by intermediate insulation pieces 9 and ID. A casing l I has the shape of a writing desk for the purpose of deceiving a burglar, while it actually serves as a support for an electric motor l2.

The shaft l3 of the motor l2 passes through an opening l4 formed in the plate I and is supported by a suitable bearing formed in the plate 8. A pinion I5 is keyed upon the shaft 13.

As shown in Fig. 1, the pinion l5 driven by the shaft I3 meshes with the teeth of two racks l6 and I1. The rack I6 is made of one piece with two locking bars 18 and I9 adapted to be insorted into the openings and 21 formed in the are used for maintaining the spring 25 in its proper position.

Similar locking bars 28 and 29 are situated in the upper part of the safe and are adapted to be inserted into the openings 30' and 3| of the safe. These bars form an integral part of the rack I! which is guided by means of a guiding member 32 projecting into an opening 33 of the rack ll. The cylindrical end 34 of the rack I1 is subjected to the pressure of a spring 35 situated between two guiding members 36 and 31.

A lamp 38 is attached to the plate 1 of the door 6 and has the purpose of further disguising the door of the safe.

In order to open the door of the safe, it is merely necessary to close the circuit of the electric motor l2 which will rotate its shaft l 3 under the influence of the electric current so that the pinion l5 will also be rotated. The pinion IE will move the racks l6 and I1, until they are brought to the position shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

In this position the bars l8, I9, 28, and 29 are removed from the openings 20, 2|, 30, and 32 of the safe so that it will be possible to open the door of the safe.

Any suitable motor I2 may be used, of a type known in the art, which will not burn out when the bars arrive at their fully retracted position.

The switch for the circuit of the electric mo- 5 tor should be concealed and should preferably be placed at a convenient distance from the safe. The lamp 38 may serve as a signal lamp and may be located in an entirely different part of the building. The safe 5 may be a portable one, or it may be built into the wall of a building.

What is claimed is:

The combination with an electric motor; of a locking device for safes and the like, comprising a pair of spaced toothed racks, each of said racks being reciprocally mounted on the door in relatively opposite directions, each of said racks comprising a bar having projections adapted to engage corresponding recesses in said safe to lock said door, springs on said safe door for normally holding said projections in engagement with said recesses, a pinion adapted to be driven by the shaft of said motor meshing with said racks, whereby the rotation of said pinion by said motor will lock and unlock said safe door.

HANS OBLAK. 

